Improved power play Black Bears’ prime objective

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When the University of Maine men’s hockey team returns to the Alfond Arena ice for practice Monday following the Thanksgiving break, one of its prime objectives will be to improve its power play.

After scoring at least one power play goal in a five-game stretch (9-for-28, 32.1 percent), the 10-2-1 Bears have produced just two power play goals over their last 34 opportunities (5.9 percent).

Maine’s overall 16.9 percent rate on the power play is eighth among Hockey East’s nine teams.

But coach Tim Whitehead and senior captain and left wing Todd Jackson aren’t pushing the panic button as they feel the problems can be rectified.

“We didn’t come into the season thinking we were going to have a league-leading power play,” said Whitehead. “We lost too many elite players off the top two power-play units. We lost four off the first unit, including Francis Nault, who quarterbacked it. It’s going to take some time to gain experience on the power play.”

“But I do think we can be more productive,” Whitehead added.

Maine lost players who scored 25 of their 41 power-play goals last season (61 percent).

“We’ve got to keep it simple,” said Jackson. “We’ve been trying to do too much on the power play.”

Whitehead agreed.

“We have to realize we can’t tic-tac-toe the puck,” said Whitehead. “We can’t pass the puck through sticks or try to force passes through seams.

“Once the guys recognize that the most important thing on the power play is to outwork the other team, we’ll have more consistent success,” added Whitehead.

He said one problem has been that the players have relaxed a little bit because they have the extra man instead of sensing an opportunity and going for it.

“We have to approach it with a different attitude. We have to outnumber our opponents on the puck and gain clean possession of it. We have to make the quickest, easiest pass available and get the puck to the net. If we do that, seams will open up for us,” Whitehead said. “Most power-play goals are scored in scramble situations. We’ve got to take the goalie’s eyes away [by screening], get the puck to the net, and get ugly rebound goals.”

Whitehead and his staff have tried several different combinations and 12 players have registered at least one power-play point.

Sophomore right wing Greg Moore, who had four power-play goals last year, has already matched that total this season and he also has a power-play assist.

Junior defenseman Troy Barnes is the power-play points leader with six assists.

Senior right wing Colin Shields, who tied for the team lead in power-play goals with seven a year ago, has one goal and three assists with the man advantage.

Nobody else has more than three power-play points.

The Bears resume play on Friday and Saturday when they travel to North Andover, Mass., for a pair against Merrimack College.

Women’s hockey youth day set

The first in a series of University of Maine women’s hockey youth days will be held on Dec. 6 at Alfond Arena.

Several youth activities will be planned throughout the day in conjunction with the 1 p.m. game between the Bears and Hockey East rival Northeastern University.

Following the game, there will be an autograph session and tours of the locker room.

The Maine volleyball team will be involved in several activities, like face-painting and sign-making, and will be with the group during the hockey game.

Bears face unbeaten Harvard

The 4-6-2 Black Bear women’s hockey team, winner of three of its last four, will travel to play a nonleague game against nationally ranked Harvard University today at 2 p.m.

Harvard, 5-0, is ranked third in the country in the U.S. College Hockey On-line poll.

Katey Stone’s Crimson, who have outscored their opponents 34-1 this season, are led by two-time U.S. Olympic team defenseman Angela Ruggiero (203 career points in 98 games at Harvard), left wing Nicole Corriero (12 goals this season; 61 goals, 61 assists in 70 career games), and linemate center Julie Chu (101 points in 37 games).

Maine continues to be led by career 100-point scorers and linemates Meagan Aarts and Karen Droog and goalie Lara Smart (4-6-2, 2.29 goals-against average, .927 save percentage).